18:55 Malaysia avoids showdown over Singapore immigration checkpoint --SINGAPORE 18:15 China wary of Malaysia, Taiwan ties --KUALA LUMPUR 17:43 Hitachi to reorganize itself into 6-9 divisions --TOKYO 15:28 Amateur orchestras form global network --KANAZAWA, Japan 14:08 Philippine police rescue Japanese, kill abductor --MANILA ------------------ Malaysia avoids showdown over Singapore immigration checkpoint Malaysian authorities Saturday avoided a showdown with Singapore over the location of a railyway immigration checkpoint, withholding the formal issue of entry permits at the heart of Singapore's business district. In an apparent change of policy, Malaysian immigration officials at Tanjong Pagar railway station merely electronically scanned the passports of travelers bound for Malaysia as they did in the past, but put no entry stamp on the passport. KUALA LUMPUR, Aug. 1 ....... Back to headlines China wary of Malaysia, Taiwan ties Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan said Saturday China is watching the ties between Malaysia and Taiwan closely, an apparent warning against closer relations between Kuala Lumpur and Taipei following recent visits of Taiwan top leaders to Malaysia. Speaking to reporters after meeting with Tang, Malaysian Foreign Affairs Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said his Chinese counterpart made the remark during their talks. TOKYO, Aug. 1 ....... Back to headlines Hitachi to reorganize itself into 6-9 divisions Hitachi Ltd. plans to reorganize itself into six to nine independent divisions under a holding company in the next business year, Hitachi executives said Saturday. The move will follow the expected enactment of legislation to change the way companies and their affiliates are taxed as a group. KANAZAWA, Japan, Aug. 1 ....... Back to headlines Amateur orchestras form global network Japanese and foreign amateur orchestras from around the world formally inaugurated the world's first network of amateur orchestras Saturday to pursue friendship through music. The World Federation of Amateur Orchestras (WFAO) said it ''transcends national boundaries, encompassing youth and adult amateur orchestras and is open to musicians worldwide.'' MANILA, Aug. 1 ....... Back to headlines Philippine police rescue Japanese, kill abductor Philippine police killed a security guard Saturday in a brief shoot-out after he had allegedly abducted a Japanese consultant of a cement plant on the southern island of Mindanao. Hittaro Hirotake, 60, a consultant of Alson Cement Corp. in Iligan, some 775 kilometers south of Manila, was visibly shaken by the ordeal but unharmed, according to Police Superintendent Isnaje Bantala. His suspected abductor, Federico Tabada, was killed, Bantala said. WASHINGTON, July 31 ....... Back to headlines Clinton urges Obuchi to act quickly to revive economy U.S. President Bill Clinton on Friday pressed Japan's new government to act ''quickly and effectively'' to resuscitate its economy and save Asia from its financial crisis. ''It is especially important for Asia, and our economy, that the new Japanese government move forward, quickly and effectively, to strengthen its financial system and stimulate and open its economy,'' Clinton said in a speech made on U.S. economic policy at Rose Garden. TOKYO, Aug. 1 ....... Back to headlines Daiwa-Sumitomo venture eyes tie-up with Goldman Sachs A joint venture to be formed by Daiwa Securities Co. and Sumitomo Bank will consider a partnership with Goldman Sachs and Co. of the United States, Daiwa President Yoshinari Hara said Friday. Hara told Kyodo News in an interview that he hopes Daiwa Securities SB Capital Markets Co., one of the three ventures to be launched by the two companies next April, will eventually form a capital affiliation with the U.S. firm. TOKYO, Aug. 1 ....... Back to headlines (1,182)Asian editorial excerpts Excerpts of selected editorials carried by Asia-Pacific newspapers in the latest week: Enter the consensus seeker (Business Times, Singapore):
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